


A Good Ending is a Good Beginning

by emmykay



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Character Study, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2013-06-22
Packaged: 2017-12-15 18:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/852850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmykay/pseuds/emmykay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben Jackson closes up shop for the last time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Ending is a Good Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> There was a prompt on the T&B meme that asked for something like "historic NEXT" or "other NEXT that worked with Mr. Legend" or "Ben and why he tried on Wild Tiger's suit." I couldn't find it (probably because I totally mangled it), so I tried my best to do credit to the idea.

The doors of ToPMaG closed for the very last time today. It hurt to think about. He had built it, and, he supposed, it was appropriate that he was the last to turn the lock as he walked away. 

Ben Jackson had a lot of regrets about his business. He lacked a killer instinct so necessary for business these days. He had failed at the accounts, had some difficulty relating his troubles to the employees in a timely fashion (although he did manage to tell everyone in person), made some bad investment calls. 

He was also proud of the things he had done; built up his own business and made a name for himself, at least for a while, and introduced the world to Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, a.k.a Wild Tiger. He liked most of his employees, but it was Kotetsu that he loved most. It had killed Ben to tell Kotetsu the truth about ToPMaG. While Kotetsu had his problems, he was, at bottom, the best of men, a good friend, an honest employee, a true Hero. Not like himself. 

Over the past few weeks, Ben had hocked the furniture, canceled all the subscriptions, and lastly, sold Wild Tiger's contract. He had wanted to end things neatly. He didn't like clutter. He walked away with a fistful of collector cards, a box of news clippings, the lone bottle of water from his office refrigerator, and a suitcase containing Wild Tiger's spare costume. 

When Ben was a boy, the concept of a NEXT, of natural human mutation that caused wild power and sometimes unbelievable results, was anathema to nearly everyone. It certainly was to everyone he knew. He was fascinated, though. He had collected all the news clippings he could of NEXT, both the positive and negative. As a young man, he'd been intrigued by Mr. Legend, by the television show that featured him.

Ben opened the trunk of his sedan and placed his things in it. The news clippings shifted in their box, and a single sheet surfaced. He picked it up, dark eyes skimming over the headline: "Mr. Legend accepts Legendary New Members." 

The article was accompanied by a grainy black and white photo; Mr. Legend was flanked by a handful of fresh-faced young men and women of all different shades of grey in similar bodysuits wearing pale masks. To the left and down squatted a young, dark-skinned man with a pencil moustache and an incredibly wide smile creasing his genial face.

All Ben really had going for him was a certain talent of being able to find people. It wasn't a great power - it wasn't easily manipulated, and it often let him down. Or maybe it would be better to say that his control over his power wasn't was good as he would have liked. Anyway, it wasn't enough to keep the company afloat. The ability to manage a business in an economic downturn would have been much more useful.

There was no news article for the disbanding of the Legendary Heroes. It hadn't really been news. They had all gotten letters one day and found that they were all out of work. Mr. Maverick had changed his mind about the direction of the show.

Ben never regretted his brief time in the spotlight. He'd had taken what he could from the experience. He had made friends, NEXT and not, some he still kept in touch with. He had learned a few things about the entertainment business. He figured he could do something with that knowledge and his power. And he had, for over a decade. 

Once inside the car, Ben pulled out one of Wild Tiger's trading cards and slid it behind the elastic of the driver's side visor. No matter what, he'd always be a fan.

Ben opened the bottle of sparkling water and held it up to the air. A silent toast, to Wild Tiger, to the end of ToPMaG, to Mr. Legend, to friendship, to a good life, and ultimately, to the unknown future. 

He drank down a swallow, and then put the bottle in the cupholder. Much as he might be tempted, he couldn't get drunk tonight. He turned on the "ON DUTY" light on the top of the taxi and drove away.


End file.
